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Honkai Star Railboasts a variety of powerful characters across multiple elements for you to use throughout your journey. As you play, you’ll be leveling them up, improving their Light Cones, boosting their Traces, and equipping them with good relics, but eventually you’ll reach level caps. When that happens, you’ll need to ascend them.
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Ascending breaks that level cap and allows characters to keep getting stronger, but it requires special drops for each element, obtainable only from Stagnant Shadow domains. In this guide, we’ll explain to you what a Stagnant Shadow domain is, how to unlock them, what you get from them, and the best characters to beat them with.
What Is Stagnant Shadow?
Stagnant Shadow is an importantstage type that rewardsAscension Materials, the unique elemental items thatevery character in Star Rail needs in order to ascendand break their level caps. There aretwelve stages, and each one drops a different ascension material.
The stages can beunlocked and teleported directly to after locating and getting near each one at their respective location, similar to a Calyx or a Space Anchor.
Each Stagnant Shadow features a set of enemies that contains aboss and several minions, and theirlevelswill increase with each difficulty you unlock.
Defeating higher difficulty stages alsoincreases the number of ascension materials that drop per fight. At the initial difficulty, you’ll getone to twoper fight but at the highest difficulty, you will receivefive to six.
Shape Of Quanta
Shape of Quantais located in theBase Zone area on Herta Space Stationand provides the ascension materialVoid Cast Iron.It becomes available after you complete the main missionChaos In The Deep.
Void Cast Ironis used to ascend the Quantum charactersQingque, Seele, and Silver Wolf.
You’ll be fighting against a singleVoid Trampler, who’sweak to Physical, Wind, and Imaginary, and twoVoid Reavers, who are weak toQuantum, Fire, and Ice.
Recommended characters for the fightinclude Natasha, Pela, Hook, Sampo, Suchang, Yukong, Qingque, Dan Heng, Blade, and Physical Trailblazer.
Shape Of Gust
Shape of Gustis located inRivet Town in the Underground section of Jarilo-IV, andit provides the character ascension materialStorm Eye.It becomes available during the main missionThe Past Will Return as an Avalanche.
Storm Eyeare used to ascend the Wind charactersDan Heng, Sampo, and Bronya.
The main enemy is aStormbringer,the wind variation of the Void Trampler who’sweak toFire, Ice, and Imaginary. Stormbringers also occasionally summon fourWindspawn, who are weak toFire and Lightning.
Recommended characters for the fightinclude: Natasha, Luocha, Herta, March 7th, Pela, Asta, Hook, Yukong, Yanqing, Bronya, and Himeko.
Shape Of Fulmination
Shape of Fulminationis located in theCorridor ofFading Echoes in the Overworld section on Jarilo-IV,and it drops the ascension materialLightning Crown of the Past Shadow. It becomes available during completing the main missionThe Stars Are Cold Toys.
Lightning Crown of the Past Shadowis used to ascend the Lightning charactersArlan, Serval, Tingyun, and Bailu.
In this fight, you’ll be dealing with aGuardian Shadow, a tricky enemyweak toPhysical, Wind, and Quantum. It alsodemands certain rules be followed every few turns in the form of bans, such as only using your basic attack or only using skills. If you don’t follow them, it’ll counterattack for high damage with Inevitable Punishment.
Recommended characters for the fightinclude: Qingque, Suchang, Luka, Asta, Natasha, Sampo, Clara, Seele, Blade, Bronya, and Physical Trailblazer.
Shape Of Blaze
Shape of Blazeis located in theSilvermane Guard Restricted Zone on the overworld of Jarilo-IV, and drops the ascension materialEndotherm Chitin. It becomes available during the main missionSoldiers Stay Silent.
Endotherm Chitinis used to ascend the Fire charactersAsta, Hook, and Himeko.
Like the stage’s name, you’ll be facing aBlaze Out of Space, a fire element enemy who’s weak toIce, Physical, and Quantum. Blaze Out of Space likes to use itsmultiple turns in a rowto buff itself, then launch its signature move, Rain of Purifying Fire, an AOE fire attack against your whole party.
Recommended characters for the fightinclude: Pela, Sampo, Natasha, Luka, Suchang, Herta, March 7th, Yukong, Seele, Yanqing, Physical Trailblazer, and Gepard.
Shape Of Spike
Shape of Spikeis locatedin the Great Mine in the Underground map on Jarilo-IV, and drops the ascension materialBroken Teeth of Iron Wolf. It becomes available during the main missionOnes Fallen Into The Abyss.
Broken Teeth of Iron Wolfis used to ascend the Physical charactersSuchang, Natasha, Luka, and Clara.
This fight features the highly-damagingAutomaton Direwolf, who’s weak toIce, Lightning, and Imaginary. This boss is another who features the ability to have multiple turns in a row, and uses them to charge up for its main attack,Felling Order. It also frequently inflicts the Bleed DoT effect.
Recommended characters for this fightinclude: Serval, Arlan, Pela, Yukong, Tingyun, Natasha, Sampo, Luocha, Jing Yuan, Bailu, and Kafka.
Shape Of Rime
Shape of Rimeis also located in theCorridor of Fading Echoes on the Overworld map of Jarilo-IV, and it drops theHorn of Snowascension material. It becomes available during completing the main missionThe Stars Are Cold Toys.
Horn of Snoware used to ascend the Ice charactersMarch 7th, Herta, Pela, and Gepard.
The main enemy of this stage is theFrigid Prowler, who’sweak toFire, Lightning, and Quantum.The Frigid Prowler is a tough enemy that can reduce your party’s speed, summon two Everwinter Shadewalker, alsopower itself up by devouring the summoned enemies.
If youdefeat the Shadewalkers before it devours them, the buff will fail, and it will incur a -50 percent defense drop.
Recommended characters for this fightinclude: Qingque, Asta, Hook, Sampo, Nastaha, Serval, Bailu, Jing Yuan, Fire Trailblazer, and Seele.
Shape Of Mirage
Shape of Mirageis located inBackwater Pass on the Overworld map on Jarilo-IV, and drops the ascension materialGolden Crown of the Past Shadow.It becomes available during the main missionYou Can Run, But you’re able to’t Hide.
Golden Crown of the Past Shadoware used to ascend the Imaginary charactersYukong, Welt, and Luocha.
This stage features the toughDecaying Shadow, who’sweak to Fire, Lightning, and Wind,and deals a lot of high, single-target damage. It’s signature attack, Liberation of the Golden Age, can do massive damage, butattacking it while it’s charging it reduces the amount of attacks it can doduring it. It has nine charges total and hitting it all nine times or breaking it will cancel the move.
Recommended Characters for this fightinclude: Serval, Arlan, Suchang, Luka, Natasha, Sampo, Bailu, Luocha, Seele, Blade, Bronya, and Jing Yuan.
Shape Of Icicle
Shape of Icicleis locatedin Cloudford on the Xianzhou Luofu,and it drops the ascension materialGelid Chitin.It becomes available during the missionAmidst the Mara-Struck.
Gelid Chitinis used to ascend the Ice character Yanqing.
The Icicle Out of Space is weak toFire, Wind, and Quantum.Similar to the Blaze Out of Space, theIcicle out of Spaceuses its two turns to charge upfor its party-wide AOE move Rain of Purifying Ice, and frequently inflicts the Frozen Debuff.
Recommended characters for this fightinclude: Qingque, Asta, Pela, Sampo, Suchang, Luka, Natasha, Luocha, Himeko, Fire Trailblazer, Seele, Blade, and Silver Wolf.
Shape Of Doom
Shape of Doomis located inStargazer Navalia on The Xianzhou Luofu, and it drops the ascension materialShapeshifter’s Lightning Staff.It becomes available during the main missionThe Hound Chases The Fox.
Shapeshifter’s Lightning Staffis used to ascend the Lightning charactersJing Yuan and Kafka.
The main issue in this fight is theSanctus Medicus Disciple: Shapeshifter, who not only does high damage but likes to summon more Mara-Struck Soldiers, andbuff itself to absorb HP when dealing damage.
Recommended characters for this fightinclude: Pela, Sampo, Qingque, Yukong, Natasha, Luocha, Yanqing, Seele, Bronya, Blade, and Imbibitor Lunae Dan Heng.
Shape Of Puppetry
Shape of Puppetryis located in theArtisanship Commission area on The Xianzhou Luofu, and it drops the ascension materialSuppressing Edict. It becomes available once the Artisanship Commission area is unlocked during the main missionHumming Antlers, Entwined Horns.
Suppressing Edictare used to ascend the Imaginary characterImbibitor Lunae Dan Heng.
The Automaton Gatekeeper is a tough enemy that’s weak to Physical, Lightning, and Quantum. It charges its passive Sanctionas you use skills and ultimates against it, and once it reaches 100 percent Santion, it eliminates its weakness, and you have tobeat the Dragonfish it summons to restore its weaknesses.
Recommended characters for this fightinclude: Qingque, Sampo, Natasha, Serval, Luka, Arlan, Seele, Silver Wolf, Physical Trailblazer, Jing Yuan, Clara, and Bronya.
Shape Of Abomination
Shape of Abominationis located in theScalegorge Waterscape in The Xianzhou Luofu, and it drops the ascension materialNail of the Ape. It becomes available after unlocking theScalegorge Waterscape areaduring the main missionDesolate Depths of Despair.
Nail of the Apeis used to ascend the Quantum characterFu Xuan.
The Malefic Ape is weak toFire, Ice, and Wind,and has a unique targeting mechanic. It spends most of its time in Gusto mode, where it willtarget the character who last used a skill for massive single target damage.
It also comes with anAbundance Sprite: Golden Hound, which has the ability to advance enemy team members turns when killed. The other enemy,Abundance Sprite: Wooden Lupus, summons the special enemy, Shadow Jackhyena.
Recommended characters for this fightinclude: Pela, March 7th, Sampo, Asta, Natasha, Bailu, Luocha, Fire Trailblazer, Gepard, Bronya, Blade, and Yanqing.
Shape Of Celestial
Shape of Celestialis located in theAlchemy Commission area on The Xianzhou Luofu, and it drops the ascension materialAscendant Debris.It becomes available once theArtisanship Commission areais unlocked during the main missionDesolate Depths of Despair.
Ascendant Debrisis used to ascend the Wind characterBlade.
The Ascended is weak to Physical, Ice, and Lightning. It also acts similarly to the Guardian Shadow and Decaying Shadow enemies, and itinflicts a new debuff called Prana Siphon, whichreduces your character’s HP bar by a percentage temporarily.
Recommended characters for this fightinclude: Pela, Herta, March 7th, Sampo, Dan Heng, Luka, Suchang, Natasha, Luocha, Bailu, Blade, Clara, Yanqing, and Physical Trailblazer.
